“The era of moviegoing as a mass audience ritual is slowly but inexorably drawing to a close,” proclaims L.A. Times film industry columnist Patrick Goldstein. He repeats the standard observation about the business having been “eroded by many of the same forces that have eviscerated the music industry, decimated network TV and, yes, are clobbering the newspaper business.” Then comes the Sobering Statement: “Put simply, an explosion of new technology — the internet, DVDs, video games, downloading, cellphones and iPods — now offers more compelling diversion than 90% of the movies in theaters, the exceptions being Harry Potter-style must-see events or the occasional youth-oriented comedy or thriller.” Comments from industry solders about an ongong “bloodbath” aside, this doesn’t portend an end to the movie business. It merely projects a revenue shift. The industry professionals who’ve been living fairly high on the hog based on real or perceived theatrical-revenue income (stemming from themselves, their films, their clients, etc.) are either going to have to (a) weedle their way into the new markets or (b) live and be happy with slightly less in the way of cash, savings, travel, perks and freebies. Life is hard…life is a scramble.